Chiefs will force fans to buy preseason tix

Listen to what the Chiefs are pulling. I saw this in the Kansas City Star . When single-game tickets go on sale to the public on July 31, fans who want to buy tickets to see the Cowboys or Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh will have to buy tickets to a preseason game as well. I think it stinks.

Here’s the deal. Fans wanting to buy tickets to the Oct. 11 game against Dallas must also buy tickets to the preseason game against the Houston Texans on Aug. 15. If you want tickets to see the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 22 you must buy an equal number of tickets to the exhibition game against Seattle on Aug. 29.

I’m not using the excuse on the slow economy or even that the team was 2-14. I just think it’s a slim ball move by the Chiefs organization to bleed money from the average guy or family. Hey, I understand Dallas and Pittsburgh are popular teams who come around maybe once a decade, but forcing fans to buy additional tickets is just morally wrong.

One argument made was when the Packers came to town, people from Green Bay bought up a lot of tickets and negated any home field advantage the Chiefs may have had. This move will possibly eliminate visiting team fans from attending the game knowing they may have to pay double the price.

Let’s call it what it is…it’s greed. Here’s my argument. When the single game tickets go on sale, if I’m a Chiefs fan and I want to take my family to a game, of course I’m going to try to get the best game available for the amount of money I’m about to shell out. You shoot for Dallas and if you end up with Cleveland, so be it…at least you’ll get the family to a game. This business of making me buy a ticket to another game I have no interest in is B.S.

I understand the ticket packages for people or companies who can’t afford a full season. You give fans options. You’re not forcing them to do anything. The half package or three game value, whatever, but if you’re going to put "SINGLE" game tickets on sale then keep it to ONE game. I also understand the Chiefs want to put butts in the seats for the nothing games in August, but I just think forcing fans to buy tickets to games that the players admit for the most part are useless is wrong.

Preseason games should be looked upon as gravy money. You try to sell out your regular season seats and your suites and charge $25, $50, whatever for parking and you budget the team salaries and operating expenses based on those eight home games. If you get 20,000 fans for a preseason game, good. If you get 40,000 fans better, but don’t put me, the average fan, on the hook for those games.

This is no different then if you were to walk into a clothing store and they tell you that you can only buy that suit, if you purchase a tie, shirt, belt and shoes from them as well. You don’t need the shirt or tie, you have 20 of them in your closet…you just want a new suit.

You blow tire and need to buy a new one. Nope, You can’t get just one…you have to buy all four.

You want steak at your favorite restaurant. OK, you’ll get the steak as soon as you agree to buy and appetizer and they’ve got your commitment to a piece of cheesecake for dessert.

So to the Chiefs organization. You’re idea or making fans buy a preseason ticket to go along with that Cowboys or Steelers game stinks…just like your team.